The contradiction between supply and demand of n-dodecanethiol is more prominent, and the industry faces excellent investment opportunities

N-dodecyl mercaptan (NDM), also known as lauryl mercaptan, dodecyl mercaptan, 1-dodecyl mercaptan, and n-dodecyl mercaptan, has the molecular formula C12H26S. It is a colorless, water-white or light yellow liquid, slightly It has odor and is mainly used as a polymerization regulator for synthetic rubber, synthetic fibers, and synthetic resins; it is also used in the production of polyvinyl chloride stabilizers, insecticides, fungicides, detergents, surface hydrophobic modifiers, etc. N-dodecanethiol has the characteristics of low odor, molecular weight adjustment, and antioxidant properties. It is mainly used in the production of styrene-butadiene rubber, ABS resin, chloroprene rubber, polystyrene, etc., as a molecular weight regulator and chain transfer during emulsion polymerization. Agent to adjust the molecular weight of the polymer so that the polymer has good processing characteristics and certain physical properties.

N-dodecanethiol is an important molecular weight regulator during emulsion polymerization in the production of styrene-butadiene synthetic rubber and ABS resin. Its industry has developed with the development of styrene-butadiene synthetic rubber and ABS resin, especially in Dow Chemical. In the process of producing ABS using the bulk method, n-dodecanethiol has an extremely important application. The development of styrene-butadiene synthetic rubber, ABS resin and other materials began in European and American countries, and with the development of industrial globalization, they entered late-developing countries and regions such as China and Southeast Asia. However, due to the relatively limited market demand for n-dodecanethiol and the complicated production process, only a few companies in the United States, Europe, South Korea and other countries and regions have mastered its production technology and achieved industrial production. However, its market is distributed in China, Southeast Asia, Japan and many other regions and regions. Therefore, there are a large number of traders in the n-dodecanethiol market, and n-dodecanethiol production enterprises use traders to improve the market coverage of their products.

At present, the main global n-dodecanethiol production companies include Phillips, Arkema and Korea Lishu Chemical Co., Ltd., and the industry concentration is relatively high. Among them, Phillips has a relatively large production scale, relatively high product performance, and a good reputation among downstream customers. Phillips’ production bases are mainly located in the United States and Belgium, and Arkema’s production base is located in the United States. Therefore, the United States is an important producer and exporter of n-dodecanethiol. In recent years, with the development of ABS resin and other industries, the demand for n-dodecanethiol has continued to grow. However, the global supply of n-dodecanethiol has limited growth, resulting in a tight supply market. Especially since 2021, due to the disruption of the supply chain caused by the COVID-19 epidemic, the production of n-dodecanethiol in the United States has been blocked. In addition, the increase in raw material prices and the shutdown of Arkema’s production equipment have aggravated the tight supply of n-dodecanethiol globally. Not only As a result, the global price of n-dodecanethiol has surged in the short term, and many customers are facing the risk of supply interruption. In the context of supply shortages, n-dodecanethiol manufacturers give priority to ensuring supply to end users, and traders are generally out of stock or only have a small amount of inventory. At present, the main enterprises in China with the production capacity of n-dodecanethiol include Sanmenxia Aoke Chemical Co., Ltd., Jiande Xingfeng Chemical Co., Ltd., etc. Among them, Jiande Xingfeng Chemical Co., Ltd. is currently in a state of suspension, mainly due to Dodecanethiol has an excessive taste and is subject to environmental protection policies; Sanmenxia Aoke Chemical Co., Ltd. has a small production capacity, but its products are not only supplied to the domestic market, but are also exported to foreign markets such as Japan. Under the current tight market supply and demand, the company Implement order production. According to the released “2021-2026 China Dodecanethiol Industry Market In-depth Research and Development Prospects Forecast Report“, in 2020 In 2017, China’s output of n-dodecanethiol did not exceed 500 tons.

Analysts believe that from the perspective of industrial development, at present, China, as an important consumer of n-dodecanethiol in the world, domestic The production capacity of the n-dodecanethiol industry is seriously insufficient and it is difficult to meet the needs of domestic downstream areas such as synthetic resins, synthetic rubber, and synthetic fibers. The n-dodecanethiol market relies heavily on imports. Coupled with the shutdown of some n-dodecanethiol units in the United States and the decline in imports caused by long-distance transportation and trade due to the epidemic, China’s n-dodecanethiol market is in a serious situation of short supply. In the context of market shortage and easing competition, investing in n-dodecanethiol can not only supplement the domestic market demand, quickly enter and open the market, and obtain a better return on investment, but also investing in and building n-dodecanethiol production capacity will help break the international market Monopoly will help solve the problem of “stuck” in the domestic resin industry chain, and may gain policy recognition in terms of corporate taxation, land approval, etc., and reduce the operating costs of enterprises. Therefore, there are relatively good opportunities to invest and develop the n-dodecanethiol field in China.